gold nuggets； which he had intended to sell in Erewhon so as to
provide himself with money when he got there。
I should explain that these nuggets would be worth in Erewhon fully
ten times as much as they would in Europe； owing to the great
scarcity of gold in that country。 The Erewhonian coinage is
entirely silverwhich is abundant； and worth much what it is in
Englandor copper； which is also plentiful； but what we should
call five pounds' worth of silver money would not buy more than one
of our half…sovereigns in gold。
He had put his nuggets into ten brown holland bags； and he had had
secret pockets made for the old Erewhonian dress which he had worn
when he escaped； so that he need never have more than one bag of
nuggets accessible at a time。 He was not likely； therefore； to
have been robbed。 His passage to the port above referred to had
been paid before he started； and it seemed impossible that a man of
his very inexpensive habits should have spent two hundred pounds in
a single monthfor the nuggets would be immediately convertible in
an English colony。 There was nothing； however； to be done but to
cable out the money and wait my father's arrival。
Returning for a moment to my father's old Erewhonian dress； I
should say that he had preserved it simply as a memento and without
any idea that he should again want it。 It was not the court dress
that had been provided for him on the occasion of his visit to the
king and queen； but the everyday clothing that he had been ordered
to wear when he was put in prison； though his English coat；
waistcoat； and trousers had been allowed to remain in his own
possession。 These； I had seen from his book； had been presented by
him to the queen （with the exception of two buttons； which he had
given to Yram as a keepsake）； and had been preserved by her
displayed upon a wooden dummy。 The dress in which he escaped had
been soiled during the hours that he and my mother had been in the
sea； and had also suffered from neglect during the years of his
poverty； but he wished to pass himself off as a common peasant or
working…man； so he preferred to have it set in order as might best
be done； rather than copied。
So cautious was he in the matter of dress that he took with him the
boots he had worn on leaving Erewhon； lest the foreign make of his
English boots should arouse suspicion。 They were nearly new； and
when he had had them softened and well greased； he found he could
still wear them quite comfortably。
But to return。 He reached home late at night one day at the
beginning of February； and a glance was enough to show that he was
an altered man。 〃What is the matter？〃 said I； shocked at his
appearance。 〃Did you go to Erewhon； and were you ill…treated
there？〃
〃I went to Erewhon；〃 he said； 〃and I was not ill…treated there； but
I have been so shaken that I fear I shall quite lose my reason。 Do
not ask me more now。 I will tell you about it all to…morrow。 Let
me have something to eat； and go to bed。〃
When we met at breakfast next morning； he greeted me with all his
usual warmth of affection； but he was still taciturn。 〃I will
begin to tell you about it；〃 he said； 〃after breakfast。 Where is
your dear mother？ How was it that I have 。 。 。 〃
Then of a sudden his memory returned； and he burst into tears。
I now saw； to my horror； that his mind was gone。 When he
recovered； he said： 〃It has all come back again； but at times now
I am a blank； and every week am more and more so。 I daresay I
shall be sensible now for several hours。 We will go into the study
after breakfast； and I will talk to you as long as I can do so。〃
Let the reader spare me； and let me spare the reader any
description of what we both of us felt。
When we were in the study； my father said； 〃My dearest boy； get pen
and paper and take notes of what I tell you。 It will be all
disjointed； one day I shall remember this； and another that； but
there will not be many more days on which I shall remember anything
at all。 I cannot write a coherent page。 You； when I am gone； can
piece what I tell you together； and tell it as I should have told
it if I had been still sound。 But do not publish it yet； it might
do harm to those dear good people。 Take the notes now； and arrange
them the sooner the better； for you may want to ask me questions；
and I shall not be here much longer。 Let publishing wait till you
are confident that publication can do no harm； and above all； say
nothing to betray the whereabouts of Erewhon； beyond admitting
（which I fear I have already done） that it is in the Southern
hemisphere。〃
These instructions I have religiously obeyed。 For the first days
after his return； my father had few attacks of loss of memory； and
I was in hopes that his former health of mind would return when he
found himself in his old surroundings。 During these days he poured
forth the story of his adventures so fast； that if I had not had a
fancy for acquiring shorthand； I should not have been able to keep
pace with him。 I repeatedly urged him not to overtax his strength；
but he was oppressed by the fear that if he did not speak at once；
he might never be able to tell me all he had to say； I had；
therefore； to submit； though seeing plainly enough that he was only
hastening the complete paralysis which he so greatly feared。
Sometimes his narrative would be coherent for pages together； and
he could answer any questions without hesitation； at others； he was
now here and now there； and if I tried to keep him to the order of
events he would say that he had forgotten intermediate incidents；
but that they would probably come back to him； and I should perhaps
be able to put them in their proper places。
After about ten days he seemed satisfied that I had got all the
facts； and that with the help of the pamphlets which he had brought
with him I should be able to make out a connected story。
〃Remember；〃 he said； 〃that I thought I was quite well so long as I
was in Erewhon； and do not let me appear as anything else。〃
When he had fully delivered himself； he seemed easier in his mind；
but before a month had passed he became completely paralysed； and
though he lingered till the beginning of June； he was seldom more
than dimly conscious of what was going on around him。
His death robbed me of one who had been a very kind and upright
elder brother rather than a father； and so strongly have I felt his
influence still present； living and working； as I believe for
better within me； that I did not hesitate to copy the epitaph which
he saw in the Musical Bank at Fairmead； ｛1｝ and to have it
inscribed on the very simple monument which he desired should alone
mark his grave。
* * *
The foregoing was written in the summer of 1891； what I now add
should be dated December 3； 1900。 If； in the course of my work； I
have misrepresented my father； as I fear I may have sometimes done；
I would ask my readers to remember that no man can tell another's
story without some involuntary misrepresentation both of facts and
characters。 They will； of course； see that 〃Erewhon Revisited〃 is
written by one who has far less literary skill than the author of
〃Erewhon；〃 but again I would ask indulgence on the score of youth；
and the fact that this is my first book。 It was written nearly ten
years ago； i。e。 in the months from March to August 1891； but for
reasons already given it could not then be made public。 I have now
received permission； and therefore publish the following chapters；
exactly； or very nearly exactly； as they were left when I had
finished editing my father's diaries； and the notes I took down
from his own mouthwith the exception； of course； of these last
few lines； hurriedly written as I am on the point of leaving
England； of the additions I made in 1892； on returning from my own
three hours' stay in Erewhon； and of the Postscript。
CHAPTER II： TO THE FOOT OF THE PASS INTO EREWHON
When my father reached the colony for which he had left England
some twenty…two years previously； he bought a horse； and started up
country on the evening of the day after his arrival； which was； as
I have said； on one of the last days of November 1890。 He had
taken an English saddle with him； and a couple of roomy and
strongly made saddle…bags。 In these he packed his money； his
nuggets； some tea； sugar； tobacco； salt； a flask of brandy；
matches； and as many ship's biscuits as he thought he was likely to
want； he took no meat； for he could supply himself from some
accommodation…house or sheep…station； when nearing the point after
which he would have to begin camping out。 He rolled his Erewhonian
dress and small toilette necessaries inside a warm red blanket； and
strapped the roll on to the front part of his saddle。 On to other
D's； with which his saddle was amply provided； he strapped his
Erewhonian boots； a tin pannikin； and a billy that would hold about
a quart。 I should； perhaps； explain to English readers that a
billy is a tin can； the name for which （doubtless of French
Canadian origin） is derived from the words 〃faire bouillir。〃 He
also took with him a pair of hobbles and a small hatchet。
He spent three whole days in riding across the plains； and was
struck with the very small signs of change that he could detect；
but the fall in wool； and the failure； so far； to establish a
frozen meat trade； had prevented any material development of the
resources of the country。 When he had got to the front ranges； he
followed up the river next to the north of the one that he had
explored years ago； and from the head waters of which he had been
led to discover the only practicable pass into Erewhon。 He did
this； partly to avoid the terribly dangerous descent on to the bed
of the more northern river； and partly to escape being seen by
shepherds or bullock…drivers who might remember him。
If he had attempted to get through the gorge of this river in 1870；
he would have found it impassable； but a few river…bed flats had
been discovered above the gorge； on which there was now a
shepherd's hut； and on the discovery of these flats a narrow horse
track had been made from one end of the gorge to the other。
He w